Before drafting Russell Wilson, Seattle tried to sign Peyton Manning

By Troy Renck, The Denver Post

Posted:
01/25/2014 02:21:51 PM MST

Peyton Manning chose the Broncos over the Seahawks while a free agent, now both teams are in the Super Bowl. (AP)

RENTON, Wash. — Peyton Manning doesn't do spontaneous. When he became a free agent two years ago, something he never imagined during his glorious run with the Indianapolis Colts, the veteran quarterback didn't go on a cross-country tour.

While a fit for arguably 25 teams in the NFL, he quickly narrowed his list to the Broncos, Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.

He worked out for the 49ers at Duke University, where Todd Helton and intramural athletes had been serving as his receivers.

The Seahawks also wanted an opportunity to sign Manning. So they parked a jet at a Denver-area airport, hoping to get an audience with Manning.

Peyton Manning talks with Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll during warmups before a preseason game in 2012. (AP file photo)

“He called me,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Friday before stifling a laugh. “And it pretty much went downhill from there.”

Manning chose the Broncos, a decision that dramatically influenced the matchup in Super Bowl XLVIII next weekend. The Seahawks moved on and signed Matt Flynn, then hedged their bet by drafting Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson in the fourth round.

Carroll took the odd step of creating competition in training camp, despite Flynn's $6 million signing bonus, and the rookie won. Carroll said Thursday that the Seahawks still would have drafted Wilson had they won the Manning sweepstakes.

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“Knowing what I know now, we would have taken him a little higher,” Carroll said of Wilson, 25, who has thrown for 52 touchdowns in his first two NFL seasons. “It's kind of interesting that we are playing (against Manning). It's kind of cool.”

Sherman's fine line

Richard Sherman, Seattle's all-pro cornerback, was fined $7,875 by the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct and taunting during the NFC championship game against the 49ers. Sherman received national attention for his choke sign — “It (was) from Reggie Miller,” referring to the former NBA star — and postgame rant about Michael Crabtree's “mediocre” play.

Footnotes

Percy Harvin has been a full participant in Seattle's practices this week, and Carroll spoke Thursday as if the wide receiver also will return kicks against Denver. ... Safety Earl Thomas talks about the Super Bowl like a kid coming down the stairs Christmas morning. He never imagined he'd have this opportunity. “I was just grateful for what I had because we didn't have that much. So I was just excited to be watching the game with my father. I saw how much he loved the game and that's how I started loving the game so much,” Thomas said. ... Safety Kam Chancellor has high praise for Broncos tight end Julius Thomas, a breakthrough performer this season. “He's pretty similar to Jimmy Graham and Vernon Davis. Very similar,” Chancellor said.